Top Cisco Certifications List 2024

Today, the IT industry is one of the fastest-growing industries. Many advancements and technological up-gradation have widened the scope of the IT industry. Building a career in the IT industry has become competitive.

The Future of Cybersecurity completely relies on the current state and the balance between security, privacy, and other confidential information. This is where the Cisco Certifications come in account to restore the balance in field of IT and cybersecurity.

The IT field is vast, and there are many areas you can specialize in. Cisco certification programs can help you gain expert knowledge in networking, which provides a competitive edge in the market. 

 

What is cisco?

Cisco stands for commercial and industrial security corporation. Cisco is the global leader in IT and networking. Cisco primarily provides networking-related assistance for companies of all sizes and helps them to connect, interact, and collaborate. Cisco Certification courses are widely accepted and recognized in the industry.

These Cisco certification programs will provide ample job opportunities for professionals. The Cisco certification programs help professionals stay relevant in the market, as per the demand in the industry, with the skill sets needed for the adoption and successful implementation of next-generation technologies.

And also these Cisco certification courses the professional’s validation in the field of networking. Most of the companies in It sector would prefer professionals with Cisco certification courses.

 

There are basically 5 different levels of Cisco certification courses:

- Entry-level (CCENT)

- Associate level ( CCNA)

- Professional (CCDP)

- Expert (CCIE)

- Architect (CCAr)

Each level provides one or more certification courses. 

The Cisco certification has 9 paths for different areas like technical field, design, business data, industrial network, storage networking, network security, routing and switching, service provider, service provider operations. 

 

Entry-level Cisco Certification Programs:

There are 2 entry-level credentials, for Cisco certification they are:

- Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)

- Cisco Certified Technician (CCT)

 

1) Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician Certification

 

What is CCENT certification?

Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) is the first stage of Cisco certification courses. CCENT is a certification provided by the CISCCENT. This certificate helps in providing the validation and professional skills required for various network support positions.

This Cisco certification will open doors for ample opportunities in the field of networking. The CCENT certification teaches professionals the knowledge and skills required to troubleshoot and operate the network and its security.

• CCENT eligibility:

CCENT Cisco certification does not have any prerequisites for taking the exam; people interested in building their career in networking can take the exam. But CCENT is a prerequisite for some of the associate-level courses like CCNA and CCND.

CCENT and other Cisco certification programs provide validation to the knowledge and skills of the professionals.

• CCENT exam details:

The CCENT Cisco certification is obtained by taking a written exam. In CCENT exams, the candidates are tested in various ways; the exam includes multiple choices, fill-in-the-blanks, drag-and-drop, etc. 90 minutes will be given for the candidates to complete the exam 45–55 questions are to be answered.

• CENT Jobs

The scope of jobs after completing the CCENT certification course will be enhanced for an individual, CCENT certified individuals can work as a Support Technician, Help Desk Technician, IT/Network Support Technician.

• CCENT Cisco Certification Validity

CCENT Cisco certification is valid for 3 years.

 

 

2) Cisco Certified Network Professionals Certification

What is CCNP?

CCNP stands for Cisco certified network professionals. CCNP is a professional Cisco certification.

CCNP is one of the Cisco certifications which instruct the knowledge and skills required to formulate a plan and implement it successfully and to verify and troubleshoot both LAN and WAN networks.

CCNP is one of the best Cisco certifications which provides a firm base and makes the professionals competent by ensuring that they acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in a physical and virtualized network.

The CCNP Cisco certification helps in proving an individual’s expertise to work in collaboration with a professional in wireless, security, voice, and video solutions, among other domains. A CCNP certified professional will have profound knowledge in networking.

• CCNP certification eligibility:

Candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree in Information Science, Engineering or Computer Science can pursue CCNP certification. The candidates who hold Cisco certification like CCNA certification or CCIE designation can also pursue CCNP.

The CCNP Cisco certification program does not have any pre-requisites, but people aspiring to grow in the field of networking can start with the CCENT Cisco certification course because it gives you a solid base of knowledge and skill set.

• CCNP Job Opportunities:

CCNP Routing and Switching certified professionals may work in labs, and a CCNA certified professional may work as Network Technician, Network Engineer, System Administrator, and many other job roles. CCNP certified professionals will have the ability to handle a large company, including installation and operation with LAN and WAN.

• CCNP certification exam details:

CCNP Cisco certification, aspiring candidates should pass 3 certification exams to become Cisco Certified Network Professional. The CCNP certification exams are as follows:

• Cisco Exam # 300-101 "ROUTE"
• Cisco Exam # 300-115 "SWITCH"
• Cisco Exam # 300-135 "TSHOOT"

CCNP, like any other Cisco certification exam, will have exams comprising multiple testing formats like multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, drag-and-drop, etc. The candidates must approximately score 75% to pass the CCNP exam.

All three exams mentioned above will have different exam patterns, like duration, number of questions, etc. The Cisco Exam # 300-101 "ROUTE" exam will have 45–55 questions, and the candidates will be given 120 minutes to complete the exam.

The duration for Cisco Exam # 300-115, "SWITCH" is 120 minutes, and the candidates are expected to answer 45–65 questions within the given time. Cisco Certification Exam # 300-135 "TSHOOT" exam will have 15-25 questions which are to be answered within two hours (120 minutes).

• CCNP Cisco certification cost

CCNP certification exam fees would cost you approximately $900 USD. The candidates taking up the exam should pay 300 USD for each module (Cisco Exam # 300-101 "ROUTE", Cisco Exam # 300-115 "SWITCH", Cisco Exam # 300-135 "TSHOOT")

• CCNP Validity:

This Cisco certification is valid for 3 years.

Get CCNP Certification Training - Online, Live Online and Classroom 

 

3) Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA Certification)

What is CCNA?

Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA) is an associate-level Cisco certification. Today, the demand for the core network engineer is evolving and has become more vital than ever, Cisco certification helps to meet the demand and secure a good job in the market.

 CCNA Cisco certification will equip you with the foundational knowledge in networking, routing, and switching technologies. CCNA Cisco certification is a prominent certification in network engineering. CCNA Cisco certification is recognized by almost all the major industry players.

• CCNA Eligibility Criteria
• There are no special eligibility requirements for pursuing the CCNA Cisco certification course. Anyone with a technical or even non-technical background having an interest in the field of networking can take up the CCNA Cisco certification course.

The CCNA teaches everything from the basics of networking to the core networking concepts and technologies. Even though there are no eligibility requirements, having a Bachelor’s degree from relevant field, like Computer science, Information Science, or Engineering helps in a better understanding of the core concepts.

• CCNA Exam Pattern:
• Cisco has recently updated a few Cisco certification courses. According to the new rule, there are no longer multiple CCNA exams and certifications that the candidate has to take to become CCNA certified. The aspirants can take a single exam CCNA 200-301. CCNA 200-301 is a single exam that includes about 120 questions from a wide range of topics such as wireless networking, security, routing, switching, etc. 
• CCNA Cisco Certification Cost:
• Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA), exam can be taken by paying the exam fees of $300.
• CCNA Job Opportunities:
• By getting CCNA Cisco certification professionals can work as Technical Support Engineer, Network Engineer, Senior Network Engineer, Systems Administrator, Systems Engineer (Computer Networking / IT), Network Administrator, Information Technology (IT) Manager, and many more job roles.
• CCNA Certification Validity:
• The CCNA Cisco certification is valid for 3 years. For renewal of certification, the certification holders have to register for and pass the same or higher level Cisco certification exam every 3 years.

 

Other important updates about CCNA Cisco certification Course:

Cisco has reframed eligibility requirements, exam patterns, and many other changes made for Cisco certification in February 2021, let has to have a look at the changes made to CCNA Cisco certification.

 

Updated curriculum for CCNA Cisco certification course:

• Network Fundamentals includes topics on routers, switches, cabling, TCP and UDP, IPv4 and IPv6
• IP Connectivity and IP routing, OSPFv2
• IP Services include NTP, DHCP, QoS, and SNMP
• Security Fundamentals consists of topics on VPNs, wireless security, port security
• Network Access includes VLANs trunking EtherChannel and other topics.
• Automation and Programmability include REST APIs, Puppet, Chef, JSON, and SDN.

Cisco has removed the following topics from its curriculum for CCNA Cisco certification:

• Routing – EIGRP, RIPv2, OSPFv3, Inter-VLAN routing
• WAN – PPP, MLPPP, PPPoE, GRE, BGP, WAN access
• Network fundamentals – OSI model
• LAN Switching – Frame, VTP, Switch stack.

Get CCNA Certification Training - Online, Live Online and Classroom 

 

4) Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert - CCIE Certification

What is CCIE?

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) is a technical Cisco certification for mostly senior networking professionals. The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is one of the most popular Cisco Certifications.

The professionals with CCIE certification are among the finest network professionals. The CCIE Cisco certification prepares you to handle routers and switches so that a greater communication system is established. 

CCIE Cisco certification program provides wizard technical skills and knowledge.

• CCIE eligibility:
• For this Cisco certification, the candidates must hold a Secondary diploma, high school diploma, or any other global equivalent, and have minimum work experience. The aspirants need post-secondary training in computer networking (Bachelor’s degree in networking management, Bachelor’s degree in computer science, etc.)
• CCIE exam pattern:
• The CCIE, Cisco certification course is obtained by taking up a written exam and lab exam. The 400-101 CCIE Routing and Switching written exam will consist of 90 to 110 questions, and candidates will have 120 minutes to complete the exam.

This Cisco certification exam validates the candidates' knowledge, understanding, and expertise to design, plan, implement, and troubleshoot complex network issues. The candidates need to score 85% marks to pass the 400-101 CCIE Routing and Switching written exam.

After taking up the written exam, candidates have to take up 8 hours of lab exams. The CCIE lab exam will consist of a 30-minute diagnostic session, a 2-hour troubleshooting session, and 5 hours and 30 minutes of configuration sessions.

• CCIE exam cost:
• Money spent on any Cisco certification is not an expense; it is an investment for the future. The candidates are supposed to pay for the CCIE routing and switching written exams and lab exams. 400-101 CCIE Routing and switching written exam fees are USD 450, and for the lab exam, USD 1600 has to be paid per attempt. 
• CCIE job opportunities:
• Professionals who hold CCIE Cisco certification can work as Data Security Engineers, Project Engineers, Security Analysts, Network Administrators, Senior Network Engineer, and many more.
• CCIE Certification Validity:
• As per the old Cisco rules, the CCIE Cisco certification would expire in 2 years, which means that for candidates who passed the CCIE before February 24th, 2021, the expiry date for the CCIE Cisco certification will be 2 years from the passing date.

But CISCO updated its rules regarding Cisco certification on 24th February 2021, according to the new update expiry date for CCIE certification for 3 years.

Get CCIE Certification Training - Online, Live Online and Classroom 

 

5) CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security

What is CCIE® Security V6.0?

The new CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security certification is one of the most sought after Cisco certification courses. This Cisco certification program is designed to prepare professionals in expert level security technologies, automation, and programmability.

CCIE Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security Certification helps professionals obtain expert-level job roles in the field of Internetwork security. It provides them with the knowledge and skills required to handle the entire network from planning and designing to operating and troubleshooting.

The CCIE is also an expert-level Cisco certification course.

• Eligibility for CCIE® Security V6.0
• There are no formal requisites for taking up CCIE V 6.0 Cisco certification, the candidates should have basic knowledge of designing, implementing, and operating solutions to security issues. It is recommended for the aspirants to have 5–7 years of work experience.
• CCIE Exam pattern:
• To become CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security certified the candidates should pass both written and lab exams. The topics for CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security written exam include security concepts, content security, network security, secured network access, endpoint protection, and detection, network security, and visibility and enforcement. 
• CCIE certification cost:
• As discussed above, this Cisco certification (CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security certification) can be achieved by taking up both written and lab exams. The CCIE written exam would cost you $ 450 whereas the candidates have to pay $1600 for taking up the lab exam.
• CCIE Job Opportunities:
• Any Cisco certification can make an individual have greater career opportunities, due to their knowledge and skills in networking, security, and so on. Being a CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security certified professionals will open doors to various opportunities. These professionals can work as a Network Architect (Computer networking/IT), Network Security Engineer, Principal Network Architect, Senior Network Security Engineer, Security Consultant (Computing, / IT /Networking), Network Administrator (IT), and many more roles. 
• CCIE Validity:
• CCIE® Security V6.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security, is valid for 3 years.

Get CCIE Security Certification Training - Online, Live Online and Classroom 

 

 

6) CCIE® Data Center V3.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Data Center

What is CCIE® Data Center V3.0?

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Data Center (CCIE® Data Center V3.0) is one of the most sought-after certifications and is the expert-level Cisco certification course.

The increasing demand for cloud computing and virtualization has increased the demand for certified professionals in the field.

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Data Center certification helps individuals to demonstrate their technical skills and competency using the industry’s best practices.

The CCIE® Data Center V3.0 certification helps to validate expert-level skills and inculcate the knowledge and aptitude required to plan, design, implement, and manage complex IT infrastructure.

To meet the demand for constantly evolving business requirements, Cisco certification will provide the required validation.

• Eligibility for CCIE® Data Center V3.0:
• There are no formal prerequisites for taking this Cisco certification (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Data Center). However, knowing topics like networking protocols, routing, and switching, Fiber, Ethernet, and TCP/IP networking, understanding of Cisco ACI, Channel Protocol, and so on would help. Also, the candidate should have had good hands-on experience for 8 years.
• CCIE Data Center Exam Pattern:
• The candidates to earn CCIE® Data Center V3.0 Cisco Certification Program, have to take both written exam and lab exams, to prove their hold on the data center components, and their expertise in designing, implementing, and diagnosing the issues.

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security—CCIE® Data Center V3.0 written exam is for 2 hours and contains 90–110 questions from different topics.

CCIE® Data Center V3.0 lab exam is for 8 hours, where the candidates are expected to construct, analyze, and fine-tune the complex data center technical issues.

• CCIE® Data Center V3.0 Certification Cost:
• The CCIE® Data Center V3.0 - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Data Center written exam fees would be 300 USD, and the lab exam would be 1250 USD.
• CCIE Job Opportunities:
• The professionals who have done Cisco certification in the data center can work as Project engineer, Technical Presales Engineer, Cloud Presales Architect, Datacenter Engineer, Datacenter Architect, Network and Security Architect, and many more.
• CCIE Validity: 
• Cisco certification in Data Center is valid for 3 years.

Get CCIE Data Center Certification Training

 

7) CCIE® Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 Cisco Certification

What is CCIE® Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0?

Being a Cisco certified professional in Enterprise Infrastructure helps you to configure and manage complex enterprise infrastructure issues and also diagnose and overhaul the problem.

CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 includes designing, deploying, operating, and optimizing. CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 is one of the popular Cisco certification programs.

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 Eligibility:
• No pre-defined qualifications or requirements must be fulfilled by the aspirants to take up the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 certification, but the aspirants should have some knowledge of networking.

It is recommended for the candidates to have five to seven years of work experience in designing, operating, and optimizing technologies and solutions.

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 Exam Pattern:
• To get CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 certified, the candidates have to take a written exam and a lab exam. CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure validates the aspirants’ expertise and knowledge of network infrastructure.

CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab exam consists of 2 modules that test the skills on topics on automation and network programmability, and it is an 8-hour exam. 

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Exam Cost:
• CCIE® Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 certification can be achieved by taking both written and lab exams. The CCIE written exam would cost you $ 450 whereas the candidates have to pay $1600 for taking up the lab exam.
• CCIE Job Opportunities:
• The professionals with Cisco certification in Enterprise Infrastructure will have the opportunity to work as Network Planers and Network Architects.
• Technical Subject Matter Expert, IT Consultants, and many more.
• CCIE® Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 validity:
• The CCIE® Enterprise Infrastructure 1.0 Certification validity is 3 years. To get the certificate renewed, the candidates are required to register for and pass the same or higher level Cisco certification exam every 3 years.

Get CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Certification Training 

 

8) CCDP Certification - Cisco Certified Design Professional

What is CCDP - Cisco Certified Design Professional?

Cisco Certified Design Professional is an advanced-level Cisco certification that focuses on analyzing, designing, and implementing advanced routing protocols, service virtualization, etc. the Cisco Certified Design Professional certification validates the networking skills of professionals and will up-skill your ability to design complex multiprotocol internetworks for organizations. The CCDP Cisco certification helps in designing and implementing scalable networks by applying advanced network design methodologies and integrating wireless infrastructure into core networking.

• CCDP eligibility:
• Forgetting CCDP certified the aspirants should have a valid CCDA and CCNA or any CCIE Cisco certification course. The aspirants taking up Cisco Certified Design Professional are expected to know about networking and security along with 6 years of hands-on experience.
• CCDP Exam Pattern:
• The candidates have to pass the 300-101 ROUTE, 300-115 SWITCH, and 300-320 ARCH exams to get the CCDP Cisco certification course. 
• 300-115 SWITCH

2 hours (120 minutes) of time will be allotted for the exam, the candidates must answer 30-40 questions. There may be different question patterns, like multiple choice/single answer, Drag and drop, Fill-in-the-blank multiple choice/multiple answer, Simulation, and so on.

• 300-320 ARCH

To complete the 300–320 ARCH exam, the candidates will be given 1.25 hours (75 minutes), and the candidates must answer 60–70 questions. Just like the 300-115 SWITCH exam, there will be different patterns of questions, which include multiple-choice/single answer, Drag and drop, Fill-in-the-blank multiple choice/multiple answer, and so on.

• 300-101 ROUTE

The candidates will have 2 hours (120 minutes), within which they have to answer 35–65 questions. The questions may be Drag and drop, Fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice/single answer.

• CCDP Exam Cost:
• 300-115 SWITCH exam cost is $ 250 (USD), and also for both 300-320 ARCH and 300-101 ROUTE, the candidates should pay $ 250 (USD) for each exam.
• CCDP Job Opportunities
• The professionals who have done Cisco certification in design will have ample job opportunities for the expert knowledge and aptitude they possess. Some of the job roles that a CCDP Cisco certification will fetch you are Manager - network and security; Network engineer-IP routing and switching protocols, Senior Network Engineer, Integrations Solution Consultant, and many more.
• CCDP® - Cisco Certified Design Professional Validity:
• The CCDP® - Cisco Certified Design Professional Certification is valid for 3 years. The certification holders have to pass the same or a higher-level Cisco certification exam for every 3 years to get the certificate renewed.

Get CCDP Certification Training - Online, Live Online and Classroom 

 

9) CCDE Certification - Cisco Certified Design Expert

What is CCDE?

CCDE is an expert-level Cisco certification program. Cisco Certified Design Experts inculcate expert technical networking knowledge and help to design, implement, and troubleshoot technically challenging networking infrastructure. Cisco Certified Design Expert helps professionals gain expert knowledge in routing protocols, internetworking, and related topics. CCDE validates the candidate's understanding of routing, security, tunneling, quality service, etc.

• CCDE eligibility:
• CCDE Cisco certification does not have any prerequisites to take up the exam. But it is advised for the aspirants, aspiring to take up the Cisco certification in design (expert level), then the candidates should have knowledge in security and networking. It is recommended that the aspirants should have the following knowledge and skills before they take up this Cisco certification (CCDE): i. CCNA and CCNP Design knowledge.

No formal certification is required to take the CCDE examination.

• CCDE Exam Pattern:
• To be CCDE certified, the candidates should take both the CCDE written exam and the 8-hour hands-on practical exam. The CCDE written exam lasts for 2 hours (120 minutes), and candidates must answer 90–110 questions within the given time. This Cisco certification will be achieved after taking up the CCDE lab exam, which is for 8 hours long and it will be scenario-based.
• CCDE Exam Cost:
• The CCDE written exam would cost you $ 450 whereas the candidates have to pay $1600 for taking up lab exams.
• CCDE Job Opportunities:
• This Cisco certification helps professionals to work in job roles such as Network engineer-IP routing and switching protocols, Senior Network Engineer, Network Security Engineer, Security Analyst, Network Administrator, and many more.
• CCDE validity:
• CCDE Cisco certification is valid for 2 years, and Professionals have to renew the certificate every 2 years.

Get CCDE Certification Training - Online, Live Online, and Classroom  

 

Wrapping Up

If you are passionate about networking and want to make a career in networking and security, the Cisco certification is the best option to invest in.

There are a wide range of courses provided by Cisco. The Cisco certification will give you a sense of accomplishment and make you more marketable. These Cisco certification programs provide ample job opportunities for professionals.

The newly designed Cisco certification programs are agile and hold an excellent reputation in the market. These Cisco Certification courses are the most widely recognized in the market. Also, these Cisco certification courses the professional’s validation in the field of networking.

 

To get full details about how to get Cisco certification and top Cisco training programs, chat with our course expert